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Dental handgrip

Dental handgrip description/claims

The present application claims priority from pending European Patent Application No. 06023781.5 and European Patent Application No. 06023782.3, both filed Nov. 16, 2006, which are incorporated herein by reference.

1. Field

The present application relates to a dental handgrip for delivering filling compound into a tooth cavity.

2. Description of Prior Art

Such a handgrip is known from patent application WO 01/17454 A1. It is used for filling hardenable dental compounds comprising plastic compounds or synthetic resins into previously prepared tooth cavities. The hardening of the plastics or synthetic resins preferably takes place by irradiation with radiation having a wavelength in the range of approximately 320 nm-400 nm or with blue light with a wavelength in the range of approximately 400 nm-470 nm. The radiant power of the radiation usually amounts for example to at least 400 mW/cm2, preferably to more than 900 mW/cm2.

The filling of the tooth cavity and the hardening of the filling compounds is carried out by the dentist in several repetitive steps, each step usually involving the introduction of a layer of filling compound into the tooth cavity, the smoothing of the filling compound layer, if need be the removal of excess filling compound, and the irradiation of the filling compound. Most tooth fillings made of hardenable filling compound thus comprise several layers introduced and hardened one after the other. The filling of a tooth cavity thus represents a costly and time-intensive procedure for the dentist.

There is therefore the object to provide a dental handgrip which simplifies the filling and hardening of a tooth cavity for the dentist, is less time-consuming and offers improved handling.

In the handgrip known from patent application WO 01/17454 A1, the delivery of the filling compound from the filling compound container takes place by manual operation of a lever or similar operating elements. A number of drawbacks are associated with this. The user is not able to concentrate solely on the precisely targeted introduction of the filling compound into the tooth cavity and the shaping and compaction of the filling compound, but rather must turn part of his attention constantly to the delivery of the filling compound. The operating elements, especially when they are designed as levers, require a great deal of space and are troublesome when work is carried out in the spacially limited oral cavity, so that various areas of the oral cavity are accessible only with difficulty using such a handgrip. The operating elements hinder the view of the preparation site. Finally, a uniform delivery of the filling compound is also not guaranteed.

A further object is to provide a dental handgrip for the delivery of filling compound that overcomes these drawbacks. In particular, the dental handgrip is intended to simplify the filling of a tooth cavity for the dentist and to offer improved handling.

According to a first aspect, a dental handgrip for the delivery of filling compound with a light emission device, via which the radiation can be made available with a wavelength and radiant power suitable for hardening the filling compound, is disclosed. The dentist can thus perform the filling and hardening of the filling material with a single device. The light emission device can comprise at least one light guide, which is designed in particular as a glass rod, glass fibre or glass fibre rod, and/or at least one light source, which is designed in particular as an optical semiconductor element. The energy supply of the light source can take place via a battery or a rechargeable accumulator.

The handgrip is preferably provided with a coupling element, which is used for connecting the light emission device to an external light or energy source. In particular, the coupling element is designed in such a way that it can be coupled to a counter-coupling element, which is provided for the connection to a dental hand-held instrument with another function. Such a counter-coupling element can be provided for example for the connection of a dental turbine, a straight dental handpiece or a contra-angle handpiece or a tartar removal device. The coupling element and counter-coupling element each have at least one light guide or electrical contacts, which lie opposite one another in the coupled state, i.e., are disposed in such a way that a reliable light or energy transmission is guaranteed.

If the dental handgrip additionally has a vibration generator which can be or is connected directly or indirectly to the connection device for the filling compound container, so that the vibration generated by the vibration generator can be transmitted to the filling compound, the coupling element of the handgrip is designed in a particularly preferred example of the embodiment in such a way that it can additionally receive from the counter-coupling element the driving medium for the vibration generator, for example compressed air or electric current. To advantage, the handgrip in these embodiments does not therefore require its own supply device, but can rather be connected to supply devices already available.

In another preferred example of embodiment, the handgrip comprises a first end, at which the connection device for the filling compound container is provided and at which one or more light emission areas of the light emission device can be or are also disposed. To advantage, therefore, the use of the handgrip is additionally facilitated for the dentist. The light emission device can either be provided fixed in the region of the first end, or it can also be arranged so as to be mobile, for example displaceable in the handgrip, so that it can be moved if need be in the direction of the first end or up to the first end or beyond it.

In order to prevent the user from inadvertently delivering filling compound from the filling compound container and directing the light emission device onto the filling compound at the same time, so that for example an undesired, at least partial hardening of the filling compound takes place before the latter has been introduced in the optimum manner into the tooth cavity, the handgrip is provided with a safety device or means to prevent a premature or inadvertent light emission onto the filling compound. These safety means can have the most diverse embodiments, whereby a dental handgrip could have one or more of these safety means. The aim of these safety means is to prevent light from striking the filling compound before the user intends to harden the filling compound, or at least to ensure that the radiant energy or intensity of the light striking the filling compound is so small that a premature hardening reaction caused by the light emission device and disadvantageous to the patient does not take place before the actual hardening is intentionally started by the dentist.

In a first exemplary embodiment, the safety means comprise the light emission area(s) of the light emission device and the delivery opening(s) of the filling compound container, the light emission area(s) and the delivery opening(s) being disposed in such a way that they point in different directions. Alternatively, or additionally, a device, in particular a mechanical device, for example a rotatable or swivelling cover device, can be provided, which is designed in such a way that either only the light emission area(s) or the delivery opening(s) is/are free, so that only light or filling compound can be delivered, whereas the other of the two elements (light emission area or delivery opening) is covered. Instead of the covering of the light emission area, the device can also be designed such that at least the major part of the light emitted by the light emission device is deflected, shielded or absorbed. The essential point is that the means are designed in such a way that no light can arrive at the filling compound as long as this is not desired by the user, or that only so little light strikes the filling compound that it does not lead to a premature, undesired hardening reaction.

In another exemplary embodiment, the safety means comprise a device, in particular a switching device, which is designed in such a way that the delivery device for delivering the filling compound or the light emission device or, respectively, the vibration generator or the light emission device can alternatively be operated. Simultaneous operation or use of the delivery device or the vibration generator and the light emission device is thus prevented, as a result of which a premature, undesired hardening reaction is prevented. The switching device can comprise a large number of different embodiments, whereby it can in principle be designed both purely mechanically, pneumatically, hydraulically, electrically or electronically, or can contain a mixed form of two or more of these embodiments.

The switching device can for example comprise a blocking device, in order to block the delivery device or to interrupt its operation, in particular a mechanical blocking element mobile between the delivery and stop position, especially a pin. In the stop position, for example, the blocking element can block a lever of the delivery device which is to be operated manually. The switching device can also comprise valve elements, for example a mechanically or electrically operated valve, in particular a solenoid valve, which opens or closes a delivery line for the filling compound, or which opens or closes a media line for the operation of the delivery device or the vibration generator. The switching device can comprise electrical switches, which interrupt or produce the current supply for the light emission device. The switching device can also comprise an optical switch, for example an optical shutter device, which interrupts or releases the light conduction of the light emission device.

According to a second aspect, a dental handgrip for the delivery of filling compound with a fluid-operated delivery device for delivering the filling compound from the filling compound container is disclosed, the supply for the handgrip with the driving fluid preferably taking place via an external fluid source. A compressed gas, in particular compressed air, or a liquid, in particular water, can be used as the driving fluid. A coupling element for connecting the delivery device to an external fluid source is preferably also provided on the handgrip, the coupling element particularly preferably being designed in such a way that it can be coupled to a counter-coupling element, which is provided for the connection to a dental hand-held instrument with another function. If the counter-coupling element is part of a dental unit, the quantity of the air fed to the delivery device can be controlled by means of a foot control which is connected to the dental unit. To advantage, the effect of this is that the delivery takes place uniformly and automatically, without the user having to carry out a delivery operation, such as for example operating a lever. All the operating elements for the delivery are not therefore required on the handgrip, so that the user has a better view of the preparation site.

In another exemplary embodiment, the handgrip comprises a vibration generator, which can be or is connected directly or indirectly to the connection device, so that the vibration generated by the vibration generator can be transmitted to the filling compound, as a result of which the viscosity of the filling compound is reduced and the filling compound can be delivered more easily. The vibration generator is designed as a fluid-operated vibration generator. The vibration generator and the delivery device are preferably connected to one another directly or indirectly, for example via the hollow vibration shaft of the vibration generator, so that at least a part of the fluid can be used for the operation of the delivery device and the vibration generator. A handgrip according to this embodiment is constructed very simply and compactly, especially in terms of production and assembly, as a result of which the production and assembly costs can be significantly reduced. Such a handgrip also uses the driving fluid effectively and sparingly. The connection between the vibration generator and the delivery device can of course also take place via one or more lines, channels, holes or other elements. The connection can also contain other functional elements, such as for example valves, in particular for the pressure control.

Different devices for the filling of cavities with a filling material are explained below with the aid of preferred examples of embodiment and by reference to the appended drawings:

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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